dreams and nightmares - no. 17

severed

Sometimes photographs fall like blessings from heaven. Tonight is Photo Social night and on my way into the class I come across some staff moving various boxes to a different location.  The contents include some dummy heads used for practice by trainee hairdressers...

dreams and nightmares - no. 16

pork belly futures...

...going for growth

In 1961 the Chicago Mercantile Exchange introduced trading in pork belly futures, a charcuterie version of Bitcoin, and it continues to facilitate the sale of virtual meat to this day.

Some new traders seek to secure a toe-hold in the market by starting small and building up, as can be seen from the photo above.

dreams and nightmares - no. 15

the financial analyst...

...leaves no stone un-turned

Banished historically to the back-room of the investment world, the financial analyst has now come of age.  Armed with cutting-edge technology he seeks out the very best opportunities for his fund-manager colleagues.

dreams and nightmares - no. 14

seed capital...

...harvesting the growth

Seed capital provides much needed funding for start-up businesses.  However, there's always a day of reckoning when the seed-capitalist harvests his investment.

dreams and nightmares - no. 13

the junk bond dealer...

 ...seeks release

The junk bond dealer is the 'bottom-feeder' in the deep sea world of international finance. He hoovers up dubious and risky corporate IOU's then recycles them in the form of tempting, competitively priced packages.

Unfortunately there is a tendency for such dealers to develop too close a bond with their junk. Should this happen drastic action may be required to break free.

dreams and nightmares - no. 12

liquid assets...

...drained

Liquid assets are the life-blood of the financial world, without it the wheels of capitalism grind to a shuddering halt. However, in the stress-filled world of the stockbroker one drink can lead to another until at last the bottle is drained.

A salutary tale for us all to heed.

dreams and nightmares - no. 11

the money launderer...

...it all comes out in the wash

The money launderer operates on the dark side of the financial world, cleaning up the dirty work of others.  It's a secretive job that takes place in shadowy back-street corners.

Armed only with a bottle of Persil and a spray-gun of Vanish he can make the deepest of stains disappear from the illegal proceeds of crime.